Carol's Change
by hellosweetiedarling
Summary: Now married, Carol is expecting a new baby with her husband,making her son Phillip feel ignored. Will the changes fall into place, or fall apart? Maude appears in this. My first in the Maude fanfiction.
1. A familiar setting

The plane landed in New York. Carol was excited and nervous at the same time. She hadn't seen her mother since the wedding back at her home in Denver. Her mother was busy as a bee, and she knew it. Carol was lucky she was able to talk to her mother on the phone once a week. Things had been looking up for Carol. Now that she was married, she had learned she was pregnant again. At thirty four, she was still relatively young enough to have more children. Actually she was quite surprised that she ended up pregnant again. Carol found her luggage and went to hail a taxi. Philip had come along with her, and stood there, helping his mother into the taxi. The drive to Maude's home in Tuckahoe was spent catching up with what was up with Philip. She felt she never saw him much anymore.

Maude smiled."Carol!! Please come inside, its cold out."

Carol smiled. Entering the house, she took off her winter coat which hid the pregnancy quite well. The sweater and wool skirt she wore did not hide it so much. The tight fitting sweater emphasized her curves well, and the small noticeable bump.

"Ma, I'm a grown woman…with a husband and children to support." She emphasized the word _children_, in reference to the fact that she was expecting again. Maude put an arm around her daughter, and smiled. She was excited for all the new things in Carol's life—a new job, new home in a new surrounding and now a new grandchild on the way. Carol had arrived in Tuckahoe to visit her mother and Walter. Maude was now a senator representing New York, and they now had two homes, one in Washington, and another was their original home in Tuckahoe. This week had begun recess for senators, so Maude and Walter returned to Tuckahoe to meet Carol and Philip. Carol's husband was away on a business trip, so he could not join the two of them. Maude hugged Carol and then Philip.

"I missed you both…it's been different without you guys here with Walter and I. How has everything been?" Carol had missed her mother too; it wasn't the same having her mother there to talk over problems with. Plus, now that Maude was busy with her new job and Carol with hers, it made communication difficult. Carol laid her head against her mother's shoulder.

"Oh mother…it's the usual. Work has kept me busy, doctor's appointments, Phillip, and my dear husband, who unfortunately could not be with us because of his business trip." Maude nodded. She remembered what it was like, raising Carol. Pouring a glass of vodka, Maude let the contents of the glass swish around before taking a sip. She set the glass down, and looked at her daughter.

"You're looking great, Carol. How far along are you?

Carol looked down at her stomach, placing a hand against it."Four months. We just found out it's a girl." Maude smiled."Congrats, dear." She hugged her. Philip shrugged.

"Yeah, mom just found out the other day. Her and Chris are excited, and mom wanted to know if I'd be excited having a sister." Chris was the man Carol had once dated, and then they broke it off. Two years ago, they met again and started dating again, getting really serious. Last year they married, and Chris formally adopted Phillip as a son. Phillip was having a difficult time adjusting to life in Denver with his mother and Chris. Leaving all his friends behind in Tuckahoe, he had difficulty making new friends in his new surroundings. Maude put an arm around the boy.

"So, are you excited?" She worried about Phillip. Carol had told her in one of their many conversations on the phone about how Phillip was having difficulty adjusting to school and his new surroundings. The new family arrangement was likely bothering the boy, especially the news of his mother's pregnancy.

Phillip sighed."I guess." Carol looked at Maude, a worried look on her face. Phillip exited the living room and headed into the kitchen. Turning to Maude, carol whispered, a concerned look on her face.

"I'm worried Mother. He's been like this since he learned we were expecting." Maude put an arm around her daughter.

"Carol, honey…he's feeling left out of the picture. Now that a new baby's on the way, he feels like he's ignored." Maude brushed a stray bang from Carol's face. Carol's eyes welled up with tears.

"We're trying to include him…but he keeps shutting us out. I don't know what to do anymore." She collapsed in tears as her mother held her.

"Carol, honey…its okay. Don't cry." She stroked her daughter's hair as Carol sobbed. Just as she was doing that, Phillip walked out of the kitchen, holding a sandwich. The sight of his mother crying hysterically worried him.

"Ma, what's wrong? Please don't cry."

Carol looked at her son, eyes red from crying. Motioning to him to come over, she took him in her arms and hugged him.

"We love you, Phillip. Even with this new baby on the way, we're not going to ignore you. Chris and I just want you to be happy." Phillip hugged his mother tightly.

"Really…you promise?" Carol nodded. Phillip smiled, realizing his mother was pregnant.

"Gee, I'm sorry about the way I acted. I guess I was jealous." Carol ruffled her son's hair.

"So, how do you feel about being a big brother?" she grinned. Phillip smiled.

"I guess it will be alright." Carol smiled.

"You'll like the idea once you get used to it." Maude was happy things were settled. She hugged Phillip and they headed into the kitchen. Smiling, Maude turned to her grandson and said, "Come in the kitchen, Phillip dear. I made your favorite cookies."

Phillip lit up."Chocolate chip?" Maude grinned.

"You bet! Fresh too." Maude smiled and led her grandson in to the kitchen, Carol trailing behind.


	2. Surprises

They sat around the table catching up. Carol could remember many conversations that she and her mother had around this table. Sometimes she wished she lived closer, but another part of her was glad she was on her own. Hell, she was an adult. Carol had a wonderful job, great new friends and a life she was thrilled about. She had Chris and Phillip…and the new baby to think about.

_Her own life. _

Those words were surreal to Carol. Back when she and Phillip lived with her mother and Walter, her mother knew every little detail, every new boyfriend Carol was seeing…but now, she was settled down, and enjoying her new and fascinating life. Maude still was quite unaware about most of her life in Denver. There were things she kept hidden from her, and Carol liked that she had her privacy back.

"How's things been, Carol? You need to come visit more often, I never see you much anymore. Last time was…last spring?" Maude smiled, taking a bite out of the cookie she held in her hand.

"Yes, yes it was. Work's been hectic. Working more so when the baby comes I can take more time off. "

She smiled. Maude was extremely excited for the new grandchild. And so was Walter. He wanted someone to spoil that was little. Phillip was a teenager now, and the interests he shared with Walter were different. He would soon be applying to colleges, and was quite independent from Carol herself. All Phillip's interests consisted of were, girls and sports. And _that_ was something Walter could talk about with Phillip.

"Well, try to take it easy, dear." Maude cautioned. Carol laughed.

"That's what everyone keeps telling me. I don't slow down that easy." She smiled and looked down at the now noticeable bump. "I really am hoping for a girl this time around though. It would be nice to have someone to dress up and do girl stuff with." Maude nodded. One boy in the household was enough. Philip made a face as he ate his third cookie.

"Yuck." Carol looked up at him and laughed.

"Phillip! You _could_ save some cookies for later." She turned to Maude and smiled. "I swear he's like a garbage disposal. He'll eat anything that's put in front of him." The two women shared a laugh as Philip polished off the cookie and exited the kitchen, turning around to say, "Thanks for the cookies, Grandma. Still the same as I remembered them." As he exited, Walter entered.

"Morning, Maude...I see Carol's here." He beamed, and Carol gave him a hug.

"Walter, it's been a while. What have you been up to?" she knew how hard it had been for Walter, since the move to Washington. Walter smiled.

"Well, I opened a few stores for Findlay's Friendly Appliances in and around Washington…and the store here is booming too. I'm glad I had some great friends here in Tuckahoe to help run it while I'm with Maude in DC." Carol was excited.

"That's fantastic, Walter!" she grinned. Walter had on his usual cheesy grin.

"I know, isn't it wonderful! How's everything?" Carol smiled and said," Well, Phillip's busy with high school and his afterschool sports, and Chris and I just went to a doctor's appointment right before I left for Tuckahoe and the baby, we know is healthy and the doctor seems to think we'll know it's sex soon. I'm hoping for a girl this time around." Walter nodded.

"After Phil, I can see why you'd want a girl." He laughed. Looking around he then asked, "Where's Chris?" Carol knew the question was going to come up so she replied," He's on a business trip in the city and plans to drop by soon. I'm expecting his call sometime today after his meetings." Right as she just said that, the doorbell rang.

Maude ran to the door. "I wonder who's at the door." Opening the door, she found Chris with a bouquet of flowers.

"Why, it's Chris!" she said excitedly. Carol smiled.

"I thought you had meetings today, sweetheart." She went to him, and kissed him on the lips gently. He smiled.

"I did, but they ended early so I decided to drive to Tuckahoe and surprise you." He handed her the flowers.

"They're beautiful..." she went to put them in a vase. After finding a vase, she put some water in it and set them inside. Running back to her husband she smiled.

"Oh Chris, I wasn't expecting this." He laughed. "I know you like surprises." Putting his arms around her waist, he smiled.

Carol beamed with joy.


	3. Secrets

_This part is between Carol and Chris. I'm writing this scene as a test scene to see if it should be included in the fic, Carol's Change. This is rated teen and above just to be on the safe side. There is some brief involvement of Maude and Philip, but otherwise it's all Carol and Chris._

Carol let Chris hold her in his arms. She was still quite surprised by the fact he came all the way to Tuckahoe to surprise her.

"Carol, I wanted to see you. It's been a week since I've seen you." They shared an intimate moment, kissing each other. Philip made a gagging noise in disgust, as Maude elbowed him.

"Phillip!" she muttered, "Let's go in the kitchen and leave them be. They probably want to be alone." She dragged her grandson into the kitchen. Walter followed them. Carol went over to the couch, and motioned to Chris.

"Honey, sit down. Please." She patted a spot next to her. He sat down and scooted closer to her and put his arms around her.

"You look great, sweetheart." Chris commented. The pregnancy was making her glow; she looked quite beautiful, her hair done into a swept look, and a beautiful maternity dress to show off the small bump.

"Thanks, Chris." She beamed. "So what gender do you think the baby will be?"

He smiled, and patted the small swell gently. "I'm betting it will be a girl. Has to be a girl." Carol took his hand and placed it on her stomach.

"I hope so too. One boy is enough for me." Carol looked around, checking for any sign of people, particularly her mother snooping. There was no one she could see, so she sighed in relief.

"Had to make sure Mother wasn't listening in. She tends to do that a lot. I don't want her knowing about what we're going to discuss, well, at least not yet." Chris nodded.

"I looked at homes in the area. There were a few nice ones that I thought would be perfect for us." Carol smiled.

"It was a perfect idea, moving from Denver. With you having to travel here a lot, it might help being closer to your work. I put in for a transfer at my job back to where I worked when I lived with Mother. The boss there understands of the situation. I will be able to take maternity leave for a month or two, then return after the baby is born." Chris embraced her.

"That's good." He leaned in to kiss her, holding her close. Parting they looked at each other, smiling.


End file.
